Starlink seeks BTRC approval to use Bangladesh as regional transit hub instead of Singapore
“Starlink’s resiliency and redundancy are a very high priority,” the company stated in the letter
Satellite internet provider Starlink, owned by Elon Musk, has expressed interest in using Bangladesh as a transit hub for delivering internet services to Bhutan and other neighbouring countries, replacing Singapore in its network route.
On 13 August, Starlink sent a formal letter to the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), requesting approval to establish Bangladesh as a hub for carrying data to other countries.
In its letter, the company said it intends to connect Bangladesh's Point of Presence or data hub with Starlink's hubs in Singapore and Oman, as part of its global network. To facilitate this, it sought permission to use International Private Leased Circuits (IPLC) and unfiltered IP.
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"Starlink's resiliency and redundancy are a very high priority," the company stated in the letter.
It clarified that the proposed international connectivity would be used solely for the stability and security of Starlink's own network and would have no link to data from Bangladesh's domestic or local users.
Starlink assured the BTRC that all internet traffic from customers inside Bangladesh would continue to be routed through local internet international gateways, strictly complying with national security, lawful interception, and content blocking policies.
The company also informed that, to set up this connection, it would obtain IPLC services from government-approved local firms Fibre@Home and Bangladesh Submarine Cable Company Limited.
In its letter, Starlink requested the regulator to grant approval "at the earliest opportunity."
Notably, the global satellite internet provider officially launched its services in Bangladesh in May this year.
